Another Adcom, ask me (almost) anything

[blackroses]

One more for you: what do you wish more applicants included on their application (other than a promise to bring you a bottle of scotch if they get an interview)?

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[hushcom]

To what extent do you consider the UG school of an applicant? I'm a HS senior and have been accepted to the Health Sciences school at Georgetown. Wondering how much graduating from this program would matter in medical school admissions compared to graduating from a low-ranked state school.

I don't know much about the school of Health Sciences at Georgetown, but if attending that school confers an advantage it likely has more to do with getting solid premedical advising and assistance than its name.

I sometimes get the sense that students see the quality of colleges and universities as being arranged in a linear fashion (much like the rankings would have us believe), with Harvard at one end and Tupelo Barber College at the other. But it's much more complex and multidimensional than that. Depending on what sort of person you are you might really find you niche at a "low-ranked state school" and thrive.

 

[hushcom]

Yes, between 24 and 26 months.

That's a tough one. For one, there is no "reason for leaving" entry in AMCAS, so you are under no obligation to lay out why you left early (although it might come up in an interview). From what you have described there is some measure of ambiguity regarding your decision. Person A might think you foolish for not just sticking it out, Person B might find it understandable that you were fed up with your situation and tried to get a transfer, albeit unsuccessfully. So it may end up being a plus, minus, or neutral, there is no great way to predict.

 

[hushcom]

Can it ever be used against me in this case (applications/interviews)? I am pretty open about it and I don't have a problem with letting anyone know that I had cancer last year (now in remission) but now you've got me thinking twice about it in a professional setting.

I can't really get further into this without knowing more about your diagnosis, but that's not a request for you to share. Suffice to say there is a big difference between an applicant in remission from a disease with a high cure rate, like certain types of early stage Hodgkin's disease, versus someone who has been diagnosed with, say, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, which is almost uniformly fatal.

 

[hushcom]

Does a publicaton that is not relative to medicine directly (ie. Basic sciences) have less impact as one that does? Or are they all viewed the same?

Do a publication during the gap year look less impressive then one in undergrad because you had so much more time?

Does it matter where I do my gap year research? What I mean is: would research at a top tier institution that doesn't pay well look better than an institution that does pay well?

1. There is no appreciable difference. Most people actually regard basic science research as more challenging than clinical research, although they are really just challenging in different ways.
2. No.
3. As mentioned above, the name on the building is only one small factor in deciding between opportunities.

 

[hushcom]

One more for you: what do you wish more applicants included on their application (other than a promise to bring you a bottle of scotch if they get an interview)?

Brevity.

 

[Medical8]

Is there such a thing as a "better" SMP in your opinion, or are all SMPs created equal? How much can an SMP (if someone does well in the program) help to overcome a low undergrad GPA?

 

[optimistic3]

I can't really get further into this without knowing more about your diagnosis, but that's not a request for you to share. Suffice to say there is a big difference between an applicant in remission from a disease with a high cure rate, like certain types of early stage Hodgkin's disease, versus someone who has been diagnosed with, say, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, which is almost uniformly fatal.

Yes, actually I had Hodgkin's lymphoma. Anyway, thank you for your insight.

 

[Goro]

I considert he "best" SMP to be one given at a medical school. There, you take classes (sometimes) with the med students, and the faculty gets to know you. Hence, a known qualtity with proven performance gives you a backdoor to that school.

Is there such a thing as a "better" SMP in your opinion, or are all SMPs created equal? How much can an SMP (if someone does well in the program) help to overcome a low undergrad GPA?

 

[tynandaly]

Hushcom,

After I graduated college in Utah I moved back to my hometown of Sonoma, CA to spend a gap year studying to retake the MCAT, shadow, work, and volunteer to shore up my application.

While I was there I wanted to learn about the wine industry so I got a harvest job in a winery lab for 5 months. Immediately afterwards I was recommended for a 6 month winemaking internship in Chile, which there was no way I could pass up. I plan to work one last harvest when I return. During this time I have ALWAYS been 100% sure about my desire to attend medical school.

Basically, my gap year turned into 2 years and I'm concerned adcoms might question my dedication to medicine seeing that I recently spent so much time in enology. Do you think I need to do anything to reaffirm/prove my goal of attending medical school?

Thanks so much for your input!

 

[hushcom]

Yes, actually I had Hodgkin's lymphoma. Anyway, thank you for your insight.

I doubt that would be "held against you" by most sensible people. Good luck, hope you stay well.

 

[hushcom]

Is there such a thing as a "better" SMP in your opinion, or are all SMPs created equal? How much can an SMP (if someone does well in the program) help to overcome a low undergrad GPA?

What Goro said.

 

[pbrocks15]

They say for job interviews that the interviewer can tell if they're going to accept or reject this person as an employee.

Do you feel that once you see a person you become somewhat biased before formally interview them?

 

[hushcom]

Hushcom,

After I graduated college in Utah I moved back to my hometown of Sonoma, CA to spend a gap year studying to retake the MCAT, shadow, work, and volunteer to shore up my application.

While I was there I wanted to learn about the wine industry so I got a harvest job in a winery lab for 5 months. Immediately afterwards I was recommended for a 6 month winemaking internship in Chile, which there was no way I could pass up. I plan to work one last harvest when I return. During this time I have ALWAYS been 100% sure about my desire to attend medical school.

Basically, my gap year turned into 2 years and I'm concerned adcoms might question my dedication to medicine seeing that I recently spent so much time in enology. Do you think I need to do anything to reaffirm/prove my goal of attending medical school?

Thanks so much for your input!

I'd say the fact that you are tearing yourself away from something as romantic (appearing) as winemaking to apply to medical school speaks for itself. This is a fairly unique experience, and as someone who has had a few run-ins with various sommeliers I can appreciate enology as a vast and nuanced field. In my mind it doesn't look like you lack dedication, it looks like you had the chance to explore something that many people find very interesting and you took it.

 

[hushcom]

They say for job interviews that the interviewer can tell if they're going to accept or reject this person as an employee.

Do you feel that once you see a person you become somewhat biased before formally interview them?

When you read an application you might try to guess what the applicant is like in person, but you will very frequently be wrong. When I get a true dud I can usually tell in less than 10 minutes of talking that things aren't going to work out between us.

 

[Levitin]

If you got a letter of intent from a student when you were at a school that told its students not to update them, would that kill there chances of getting off the waitlist? could it possibly help?

 

[hushcom]

If you got a letter of intent from a student when you were at a school that told its students not to update them, would that kill there chances of getting off the waitlist? could it possibly help?

Kill? No, it just looks the applicant cannot contain him/herself and has trouble following directions. But a lot of people do it anyways, so it's difficult to really hold it against a given individual. The real problem with LOI's is that unless you can point to some concrete fact (like your S/O got a job in this area) there is no way to evaluate their veracity. In a sellers market many people will say anything they think you want to hear.

 

[swolebrah]

As a 2nd year univ student I have currently been scribing in the ED dept. 20-24 hours a week while taking a full course load of pre req science classes. I also volunteer 1-2 times a month in a non clinical setting and run intramural sports.

I obviously understand academics rank over all EC's and I have kept my grades in line, just wondering would you add anything to this? I always see these applicants (who got accepted to top 10 schools) on MDapps who have so much and feel like I won't be as competitive when it's time to apply.

 

[hushcom]

As a 2nd year univ student I have currently been scribing in the ED dept. 20-24 hours a week while taking a full course load of pre req science classes. I also volunteer 1-2 times a month in a non clinical setting and run intramural sports.

I obviously understand academics rank over all EC's and I have kept my grades in line, just wondering would you add anything to this? I always see these applicants (who got accepted to top 10 schools) on MDapps who have so much and feel like I won't be as competitive when it's time to apply.

I would add that shooting for "top 10" is a fool's errand. If that's your measure of success then you may be in for a lifetime of chronic disappointment.

Do your best, apply mainly to schools where your stats are aligned along with some reach and some "safety" programs, and see what happens. The US News rankings are largely arbitrary and do not in any way reflect the educational experience you will have at any given school. I have developed great disdain for them in part because they reinforce a linear concept of school quality.

 

[Muffinho]

I'm just wondering why parent's education information is required for application. Both my parents are high school drop outs from a different country, and I've never been asked about it for any educational application before now (that I can recall, at least).

 

[yjj8817]

What is your opinion on NIH Postbac IRTA Program? You get to do research in NIH labs for one or two years. Is this looked upon much more favorably than working full time in a university biomedical science research lab?

 

[Goro]

It shows how far you've come. We like rags to riches stories. On the flip side, children of PhDs or MD/DDS/OD/JD etc show privieldge. Historically, these people tend to do better in UG because of all the advantages wealth buys.

I'm just wondering why parent's education information is required for application. Both my parents are high school drop outs from a different country, and I've never been asked about it for any educational application before now (that I can recall, at least).

 

[Muffinho]

It shows how far you've come. We like rags to riches stories. On the flip side, children of PhDs or MD/DDS/OD/JD etc show privieldge. Historically, these people tend to do better in UG because of all the advantages wealth buys.

Oh okay. I was worried it was something that could be perceived as a negative (financial implications of uneducated parents).

Thanks!

 

[23premes]

Hushcom

Thanks for doing this.

3 questions for you.

1. What's the difference In your mind between a 3.69 and say a 3.73. I know they are super close but I have the option of applying next cycle with a slightly higher GPA after finishing some more classes. I'm thinking it won't matter much but then again I'm applying to some competitive schools in California.

2. I have 2 Ws in my college career. One because I just wasn't able to handle the load. I had just got into a top school and wasn't prepared or ready at the time. This was freshman year. Since then I improved and have another W in a class that I withdrew from (thought I did and it was passed the drop deadline). Do I need to explain these in my application. Otherwise I have plenty of semesters with full coursework and good grades.

3. What's the latest you would say one could retake the mcat and still be competitive this cycle. Let's say they are retaking because of an unbalanced low 30.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hushcom]

What is your opinion on NIH Postbac IRTA Program? You get to do research in NIH labs for one or two years. Is this looked upon much more favorably than working full time in a university biomedical science research lab?

I don't apply automatic bonus points just because I see "NIH" on something. The NIH is great, but so are many university-based programs, so I make an assessment based on other factors (with the interview being key).

 

[hushcom]

Oh okay. I was worried it was something that could be perceived as a negative (financial implications of uneducated parents).

Thanks!

No, quite the contrary. And if you can gain admission you can find the money to attend.

 

[hushcom]

Hushcom

Thanks for doing this.

3 questions for you.

1. What's the difference In your mind between a 3.69 and say a 3.73. I know they are super close but I have the option of applying next cycle with a slightly higher GPA after finishing some more classes. I'm thinking it won't matter much but then again I'm applying to some competitive schools in California.

2. I have 2 Ws in my college career. One because I just wasn't able to handle the load. I had just got into a top school and wasn't prepared or ready at the time. This was freshman year. Since then I improved and have another W in a class that I withdrew from (thought I did and it was passed the drop deadline). Do I need to explain these in my application. Otherwise I have plenty of semesters with full coursework and good grades.

3. What's the latest you would say one could retake the mcat and still be competitive this cycle. Let's say they are retaking because of an unbalanced low 30.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

1. In my mind there is no significant difference, your application will rise or fall based on other factors.
2. Don't waste valuable application space on two W's. Just be prepared to explain them in an interview.
3. I have no clue. In late summer I start getting interview assignments, that's all I know.

 

[bsmd14]

Just a quick question that may or may not be fully answerable. If a student has a GPA above a 3.9 and an MCAT of 32 (with approximately equal score distributions; ie no more than 1 point apart from each other), and a strong extracurricular background (leadership, >600 medically-oriented volunteering hours, a couple unique extracurriculars in aid organizations, and starting an independent research project, ie not under a PI but that has received IRB approval and whatnot), will that 32 be frowned upon at a top 20 medical school? I suppose my question is, what impact does a score like that make at a medical school that has an average MCAT of 34-35, even if the rest of the application is strong? I know this may be difficult to provide a full answer for, but I do not want to provide my entire resume here!

 

[DokterMom]

Hushcom,

After I graduated college in Utah I moved back to my hometown of Sonoma, CA to spend a gap year studying to retake the MCAT, shadow, work, and volunteer to shore up my application.

While I was there I wanted to learn about the wine industry so I got a harvest job in a winery lab for 5 months. Immediately afterwards I was recommended for a 6 month winemaking internship in Chile, which there was no way I could pass up. I plan to work one last harvest when I return. During this time I have ALWAYS been 100% sure about my desire to attend medical school.

Basically, my gap year turned into 2 years and I'm concerned adcoms might question my dedication to medicine seeing that I recently spent so much time in enology. Do you think I need to do anything to reaffirm/prove my goal of attending medical school?

Thanks so much for your input!

This is a fascinating story, and one that will get the attention of anyone who makes it far enough through your application to read it. It's the kind of life experience that will get you noticed and remembered. Assuming the other pieces of your application are up to snuff, I'd expect this interlude to help, not hurt. Just present it as you have here -- as a unique opportunity you just couldn't pass up (along the lines of travel) because your future plans wouldn't allow for such a gap again, though your commitment to medicine never wavered.

 

[Spirit of the Student Doc]

If I visit a med school and talk with someone there, is there anything I should really consider doing....... perhaps finding out if I can volunteers there if I live close enough..... or will that just be too cheesy

 

[Spirit of the Student Doc]

Have you ever accepted a medical lab tech (or similar profession) or interviewed at your school and what did they say or show in their application that you found positive or negative

 

[hushcom]

Just a quick question that may or may not be fully answerable. If a student has a GPA above a 3.9 and an MCAT of 32 (with approximately equal score distributions; ie no more than 1 point apart from each other), and a strong extracurricular background (leadership, >600 medically-oriented volunteering hours, a couple unique extracurriculars in aid organizations, and starting an independent research project, ie not under a PI but that has received IRB approval and whatnot), will that 32 be frowned upon at a top 20 medical school? I suppose my question is, what impact does a score like that make at a medical school that has an average MCAT of 34-35, even if the rest of the application is strong? I know this may be difficult to provide a full answer for, but I do not want to provide my entire resume here!

It depends on how stats-obsessed the admissions committees are at the above mentioned schools. Statistically speaking, those with an MCAT in the range of 30-32 who retake have a 64% chance of increasing their score, a 13% chance of staying the same, and a 23% chance of decreasing. If your basic questions is whether you should retake a 32 in order to up your chances "top 20" schools, the odds are in your favor.

That being said, how would you feel if your score went down? Based on what you have shared you would be competitive at a large number of medical schools in this country. There is nothing wrong with wanting to attend a highly ranked one, but don't completely wrap yourself up in the idea. It's unhealthy.

 

[hushcom]

If I visit a med school and talk with someone there, is there anything I should really consider doing....... perhaps finding out if I can volunteers there if I live close enough..... or will that just be too cheesy

Volunteering at a medical school? Yes, that would be cheesy. If you are referring to the associated hospital(s) they should have separate programs for such endeavors.

I would just do some research on the school and show up with some questions.

Have you ever accepted a medical lab tech (or similar profession) or interviewed at your school and what did they say or show in their application that you found positive or negative

Yes, we have, although I have not interviewed one. I think the experience in a clinical lab is generally viewed quite favorably, as it gives a perspective on health care that is often unappreciated. The ones I can recall usually (always?) had LOR's from their supervisors, which tended to be glowing and could speak to the applicant's intellect, skill, and work ethic.

 

[kouentou13]

That's a tough one. For one, there is no "reason for leaving" entry in AMCAS, so you are under no obligation to lay out why you left early (although it might come up in an interview). From what you have described there is some measure of ambiguity regarding your decision. Person A might think you foolish for not just sticking it out, Person B might find it understandable that you were fed up with your situation and tried to get a transfer, albeit unsuccessfully. So it may end up being a plus, minus, or neutral, there is no great way to predict.

Thanks, Hushcom, your thoughtful responses give me a fair amount of peace of mind. I do have a follow-up question, though. After reading the headlined SDN article yesterday that stated to give practical advice to applicants, I have a concern as to where in my app I'd describe leaving the Peace Corps. I don't plan on addressing this fact in my personal statement (at least at the moment), but I feel it necessary to address it somewhere in my app to avoid an interviewer stumbling upon it and it coming off as if I'm trying to deceive him/her/the school. Where do you recommend I put this in my app? (I was thinking in the question along the lines of 'what further information would you like the adcoms to know?').

 

[hushcom]

Thanks, Hushcom, your thoughtful responses give me a fair amount of peace of mind. I do have a follow-up question, though. After reading the headlined SDN article yesterday that stated to give practical advice to applicants, I have a concern as to where in my app I'd describe leaving the Peace Corps. I don't plan on addressing this fact in my personal statement (at least at the moment), but I feel it necessary to address it somewhere in my app to avoid an interviewer stumbling upon it and it coming off as if I'm trying to deceive him/her/the school. Where do you recommend I put this in my app? (I was thinking in the question along the lines of 'what further information would you like the adcoms to know?').

I would simply embed a sentence or two within the overall description of the experience. It would actually probably be good to have some discussion of this point during the interview, as it can give the interviewer some clarity that he/she can take back to the committee.

 

[Stabley17]

Hi Hushcom,

I was wondering to what extent you feel like the application process is a bit of a crap-shoot. From my experience (which hasn't even been as drastic as others'), I've interviewed or been accepted at schools 'ranked' higher than others. Similarly, I've been rejected from schools where either I felt I put in a much better secondary or had a better interview than at others where I had more success. Obviously rankings aren't everything as a school's mission or needs may influence the type of applicant they are looking for, and they certainly shouldn't be the deciding factor for where someone should go, but as an applicant, this feels a little disconcerting to me because it becomes hard to identify any sort of pattern.

Are you ever surprised by the final decision (if you even find that out) about applicants you interview? Or perhaps it's easier to say how often you come across candidates that you are definitely sure they should be accepted or rejected, versus candidates that you could see going either way? Thanks.

 

[ridethecliche]

To branch off a question that has already been answered regarding projects in process of submission or submissions that haven't been accepted...

How do you mention these? Would you put something in AMCAS or is this more of something to be discussed during an interview?
I'm on a submission that's going to be accepted at some point, probably with some minor revisions, and am in the process of working on a few other manuscripts that are in various states of disrepair. I'm making a big push over the next month or two to get things sorted out to finish the others, but they'll either be close to a manuscript or close to submission (hopefully) by the time my primary is in.

Thanks!

 

[ridethecliche]

Hi Hushcom,

I was wondering to what extent you feel like the application process is a bit of a crap-shoot. From my experience (which hasn't even been as drastic as others'), I've interviewed or been accepted at schools 'ranked' higher than others. Similarly, I've been rejected from schools where either I felt I put in a much better secondary or had a better interview than at others where I had more success. Obviously rankings aren't everything as a school's mission or needs may influence the type of applicant they are looking for, and they certainly shouldn't be the deciding factor for where someone should go, but as an applicant, this feels a little disconcerting to me because it becomes hard to identify any sort of pattern.

Are you ever surprised by the final decision (if you even find that out) about applicants you interview? Or perhaps it's easier to say how often you come across candidates that you are definitely sure they should be accepted or rejected, versus candidates that you could see going either way? Thanks.

I'm not an adcom, but while there are disparities inherent to the process, the Adcoms in each place are trying to create a balanced class. It's possible that you were a unique applicant at one school, while not being all that interesting at others based on all who applied.

If you want to go straight by numbers, if you have a 20% shot at interviewing at 2 schools, it's not all that unlikely that you won't get invites to both just based on probability, no? Now throw in the variables of creating a class profile, school mission, etc and the water doesn't get any clearer!

 

[erure]

I'm applying this year while also attending an SMP program, which will begin in August. I want to submit my AMCAS application as early as possible, but I realized that the 6 unit microbiology course that I'm taking can make or break my sGPA (it will bump it up from 2.98 to 3.0 if I get an A). The problem is, the class ends June 27 and it will probably be mid-July by the time I get the grade for the class. If I read AMCAS' instruction PDF correctly, it says that it will not update the GPA calculation if you send in an update after the application is submitted. Should I wait until mid-July to submit the AMCAS with the 3.0 sGPA or turn it in the first day with 2.98 sGPA? I'd really appreciate any input. Thank you very much!!

 

[Calumniam]

Thanks for doing this and hope this question isn't too broad.

For someone who has just completed their first year, do you have any advice regarding things to do to really solidify that this is the right path to go down that might not immediately come to mind? I have a few internships doing research in hospital settings where I'll hopefully have a chance to shadow, but just wondering if there's anything you've come across that has stood out to you over the years.

 

[BioMedic]

Thank you for all of the insight you have given in this thread hushcom. I'm curious what advice you have regarding explaining withdrawals, specifically older ones. I'm a bit of a non-trad who didn't have the cleanest start to my college career resulting in a bunch of W's my freshman year. Since then I attended a tech college, worked for awhile, and returned to school earning a GPA>3.9 over the past six semesters. I curious if you think this situation warrants an explanation somewhere, or if my academic record since can speak for itself. I would hate to use up space in my PS for this when I have so much else to discuss.

 

[Jay11jayjay]

Oh okay. I was worried it was something that could be perceived as a negative (financial implications of uneducated parents).

Thanks!

*formally uneducated

 

[hushcom]

Hi Hushcom,

I was wondering to what extent you feel like the application process is a bit of a crap-shoot. From my experience (which hasn't even been as drastic as others'), I've interviewed or been accepted at schools 'ranked' higher than others. Similarly, I've been rejected from schools where either I felt I put in a much better secondary or had a better interview than at others where I had more success. Obviously rankings aren't everything as a school's mission or needs may influence the type of applicant they are looking for, and they certainly shouldn't be the deciding factor for where someone should go, but as an applicant, this feels a little disconcerting to me because it becomes hard to identify any sort of pattern.

Are you ever surprised by the final decision (if you even find that out) about applicants you interview? Or perhaps it's easier to say how often you come across candidates that you are definitely sure they should be accepted or rejected, versus candidates that you could see going either way? Thanks.

Step 1: Forget the rankings.

The process may appear random to the individual, but it is not. For MD admissions the simplest and most meaningful outcome is acceptance to a domestic program, and applicants with higher grades/scores get in more frequently than those with lower numbers. That is true without taking into account any other factors, and therefore negates the crap shoot argument.

When considering getting admitted to an individual school it is more random. Who you interview with, when you interview in the cycle, and how your application meshes with the veiled idiosyncrasies of that institution's admission process can all influence the outcome. That is the reason why people apply to multiple schools. It is a hedge against the uncertainty of putting all your eggs in one basket. Committee decisions are also just that, committee decisions. I think we get it right most of the time, but sometimes we have buyer's remorse and sometimes we let a good candidate slip away.

One thing I can tell you (and everyone else) is do not let the interview vibe fool you. For instance, I ask hard questions sometimes because there are issues in an applicant's file that need explaining. The applicant might walk out feeling that the encounter was unpleasant, but really I am trying to get answers that I can take back to the committee. A pleasant but superficial interview might leave the applicant feeling positive and relieved, but that person might get savaged at the committee meeting because I haven't done my job. In part this might explain why seemingly bad interviews sometimes result in acceptances why seemingly good ones sometimes do not.

 

[hushcom]

To branch off a question that has already been answered regarding projects in process of submission or submissions that haven't been accepted...

How do you mention these? Would you put something in AMCAS or is this more of something to be discussed during an interview?
I'm on a submission that's going to be accepted at some point, probably with some minor revisions, and am in the process of working on a few other manuscripts that are in various states of disrepair. I'm making a big push over the next month or two to get things sorted out to finish the others, but they'll either be close to a manuscript or close to submission (hopefully) by the time my primary is in.

Thanks!

If you have submitted something I think it is valid to list it on your application. Do not include anything that is just in preparation.

 

[hushcom]

I'm applying this year while also attending an SMP program, which will begin in August. I want to submit my AMCAS application as early as possible, but I realized that the 6 unit microbiology course that I'm taking can make or break my sGPA (it will bump it up from 2.98 to 3.0 if I get an A). The problem is, the class ends June 27 and it will probably be mid-July by the time I get the grade for the class. If I read AMCAS' instruction PDF correctly, it says that it will not update the GPA calculation if you send in an update after the application is submitted. Should I wait until mid-July to submit the AMCAS with the 3.0 sGPA or turn it in the first day with 2.98 sGPA? I'd really appreciate any input. Thank you very much!!

Tough call, but I would probably wait for the 3.0. You will likely get screened out of many allopathic schools with a <3.0 GPA.

Knowing nothing else about you, I would be hesitant to apply at such an early state of GPA repair. You will have a much more compelling case with at least two semesters of solid SMP performance on your record.

 

[hushcom]

Thank you for all of the insight you have given in this thread hushcom. I'm curious what advice you have regarding explaining withdrawals, specifically older ones. I'm a bit of a non-trad who didn't have the cleanest start to my college career resulting in a bunch of W's my freshman year. Since then I attended a tech college, worked for awhile, and returned to school earning a GPA>3.9 over the past six semesters. I curious if you think this situation warrants an explanation somewhere, or if my academic record since can speak for itself. I would hate to use up space in my PS for this when I have so much else to discuss.

I would not waste space on it, just see if it comes up during an interview. Your life's arc should be easy to discern from your transcript and PS.

 

[shivasdance121]

@hushcom I'm completing classes at a Post-Bacc program starting this fall. My advisor strongly recommended taking only two science classes (including electives) at a time. I need one more class to be full time for financial aid. Does it matter what elective I choose? Some classes I'm considering are public health, women's studies, psychology (previous degree in psychology, but might be helpful to brush up for 2015 MCAT), philosophy. Likely would be an intro-level class, unless it was a psychology class (since my previous degree is in psychology). Thank you in advance for your advice!

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom I'm completing classes at a Post-Bacc program starting this fall. My advisor strongly recommended taking only two science classes (including electives) at a time. I need one more class to be full time for financial aid. Does it matter what elective I choose? Some classes I'm considering are public health, women's studies, psychology (previous degree in psychology, but might be helpful to brush up for 2015 MCAT), philosophy. Likely would be an intro-level class, unless it was a psychology class (since my previous degree is in psychology). Thank you in advance for your advice!

No, it really doesn't matter, just choose something you find interesting.

 

[zlyu]

Hi hushcom,
I have a question for IA. I have an IA because I lend my lab report to my friend. I know it's very serious and my chance is very slim now. How do you view academic related IA, is it an auto rejection? Do you think I could still apply?
Thank you very much!

 

[Soviet Poland]

First off, thank you for taking the time to answer so many questions. I was surprised to still see answers 21 pages in!

My question is this: if I did poorly on the MCAT (I won't be disingenuous, I got a 23. 9 VR, 8 BS, 6 PS) on my first try, and currently have a retake planned in June, is it better to still submit my secondaries as soon as possible?

On one hand, I am worried about being perceived as too weak. I'll be seen with a 23 and an upcoming date. I feel like I may just get put into some "review pile" almost doomed to be forgotten.
On the other hand, getting in that application as soon as possible has been the most common and universal advice I've received.

Would it be better to wait until my results are back in July to submit my secondaries? Or go ahead and submit my secondaries on day 1? I've already reviewed all the schools I am applying to, and it seems like I at least meet their cut-offs, so I'd receive a secondary. I'm also confident I will do much better on my retake.

I guess to word the question differently, do you think there is a negative perception to that pending score? Would an applicant who submitted a secondary in late July, assume average GPA, average MCAT (28-31), and strong clinical background look better than an applicant with an average GPA, strong clinical background, and that 23 I mentioned with a pending score who applies day 1?